Speed indicator



Oct. 21, 1941. w. H. HARSTICK ,2

- SPEED INDICATOR Filed July 10, 1940 vIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIII/I/J Inventor- Patented Oct. 21, 1941 span!) INDICATOR William H. Harstick, Richmond, Ind., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corpora- 1 tion of- New Jersey Application July 10,

4 Claims.-

The present invention. relates to, improvements in an audible speed indicator for a creainlseparator. I

.It is desirable, when operatinga cream separator by hand, to have a speed indicator which will indicate the R, P. M. of the driving shaft, since the. milk and cream are properly separated only when the separator is run at a certain speed. It is also desirable to have the separator streamlined and with as; few parts pr jecting therefrom as possible, so that the separator may be easily cleaned.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an enclosed speed indicator for a cream separator.

Another object of the invention is t incorporate a speed indicator in a standard part of the separator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved device for indicating when a predetermined rate of rotation of a driving shaft has been exceeded.

According to the present invention, the radially extending portion of the crank for a cream separator is provided with a closed end passageway in which there is provided a freely movable body. A combined cover and striking plate is secured over the open end of the passageway.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a cream separator with the improved speed indicator provided thereon;

Figure 2 is a sectional view'of the crank, showing the improved speed indicator with the movable body at the end of the passageway; and,

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the crank, showing the improved speed indicator with the movable body in contact with the combined cover and striking plate.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a cream separator H) which has a horizontally extending driving shaft H which, when driven, drives the cream separator in the usual manner. At the end of the shaft II is mounted a crank l2 which includes a horizontal portion [3, a radially extending integral arm l4, and a handle portion I 5. The horizontal portion I3 is provided with a closed end bore 13a in which the driving shaft II is fitted. A set screw I6 secures the portion I3 to the shaft ll. Said screw has a boss [6' fitting radially into a kerf H out into the shaft H, as shown.

1940, Serial No.344,741 ggl. 116 74) The speed indicator is provided within the radiallyextending integral arm I 4 of the crank I2. A passageway or bore l1 extends. past the closed end bore Ba and lengthwise a substantial distance into the arm I4. A movable body, suchas a free ball weight l 1a, is provided within the passageway l1. At the open end of the passageway I! and adjacent the horizontal-portion l3 there is formed a boss l8, .over which a combined striking plate and cover I9; is pressfitted. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cover [9 is also spaced from the end of the boss I8. By having the combined striking; plate and cover ISpress-fitted over and spaced from the end-of the boss t8, the cover I9 is placed in tension, so that, when the movable body Ila strikes the cover, a clear audible sound is emitted.

Referring to Figure 2, the movable body I la is shown at the end of the passageway l1. As the crank 12 is rotated over the top half of its cycle of revolution about the axis of the shaft H, the movable body 11a falls by gravity from the end of the passageway l1, down the passageway toward the axis of the shaft II, and strikes the combined striking plate and cover l9 when the crank is in the position shown in Figure 3. The ball I la falls by gravity to the handle end of the passageway l'l durin the bottom half of the movement of the crank. The movable body Ila falls by gravity between the end of the passageway and the cover I!) on each revolution until the crank is rotated at such a speed that the movable body does not have time to fall by g V- ity and strike the cover l9. When the desired speed has been reached, the movable body is held at the end of the passageway by centrifugal force and by the short interval of time in the change of positions of the crank.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that a simple and improved speed indicator has been provided. The crank for the separator has no projections extending therefrom. The speed indicator is completely enclosed within the crank l2, and the cover I 9 serves to enclose the passageway and also serves as a striking plate. By this design the outside of the crank can easily be cleaned.

It is the intention to limit the invention only within the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A manual operating means and speed indicator for cream separators having a horizontal driving shaft comprising a crank that consists of an army having a horizontal portion at one end and a handle at the other end, said horizontal vent ingress of dirt into the passageway and also to result in an arm having a surface contour free of obstructions.

2. A manual operating means and speed indicator for cream separators having a horizontal driving shaft comprising a crank that consists of an arm having a horizontal portion at one end and a handle at the other end, said horizontal portion having a closed end bore adapted to fit the driving s haft, said arm having a passageway extending froinrthe horizontal portion past the closed end bore lengthwise therein through a major portion of the arm, a weight locatedin said passageway for free movement therein, and a combined striking plate and cover secured over the open end of said passageway in spaced relationto the said end-of the passageway to cause the plate to emit a sharp click when the weight strikes same but disposed in sealing'relationship to the arm to prevent ingress of dirt into the passagewayand also to result in an arm having a surface contour free of obstructions.

, 3, A manual operating means and speed indicator for cream separators having a horizontal driving shaft comprising a crank that consists of ing sealing relationship to the passageway to v prevent ingress of dirt and present an arm having. a smooth outer contour free of obstructions.

4. A manualoperating means and speed indi- -cator for cream separators having a horizontal driving shaft comprising a crank that consists of an arm having a horizontal portion at one end and a handle at the other end, said horizontal portion having a closed end bore adapted to fit the driving shaft, a boss extending from said horizontal portion near its juncture to said arm, said arm having 'a' passageway extending from the boss on the horizontal portion past the closed end borelengthwise therein, a freely movable weightlo'cated in said passageway, and a combination striking plate and cover adapted to be press-fitted over saidboss in sealing relationship thereto to prevent ingress of dirt into the passageway but spaced from the boss so that when the cover is hit by the weight a sharp sound is emitted and the arm presents a smooth outer surface contour free of obstructions.

WILLIAM H. HARSTICK. 

